Knockout
by PowderDuff
Summary: Modern AU based off of the book Real by Katy Evans. Emma Swan is finally convinced to go to a boxing match with her best friend Ruby. Once there, and once she sees the handsome fighter that goes by the name 'Hook', Emma can easily see why Ruby goes to these matches.


"I can't believe you convinced me to come here on one of my few nights off" Emma groaned as she pushed through the crowd of people holding tightly onto Ruby's hand. Ruby dragged her to a spot in the standing room-only arena.

"Oh come on Em, it'll be great, just you wait until you see _him_. He is seriously the epitome of sex!" she exclaimed, nudging Emma's arm.

The '_him'_ ruby was referring to was an underground boxer that goes by the name Hook. Ruby had been talking about him non-stop for weeks. Ruby had finally convinced Emma to come here tonight when she bet her that if she didn't think Hook was worth the trip that she would buy the drinks at the bar after.

Now that they were no longer looking for a place to stand in the crowded space, Emma decided to take in her surroundings. Though she didn't regularly go to underground boxing matches, she never imagined there would be so many woman that would want to watch two men beat the shit out of each other. She then noticed the signs they were all holding.

"MARRY ME, HOOK" "I'LL SUCK YOUR COCK, HOOK!" "I LOVE YOU, HOOK" "I'M ALL YOURS, HOOK!"

"These woman are pathetic" Emma thought out loud, but she she was drowned out by the announcer that started speaking from the center of the ring.

"Ladies and gentlemen! Are you ready for a show tonight?!" He bellowed into the microphone, the crowd erupted in loud cheers and clapping. "That's good, cause do we have a show for you! We have the crowd favorite HOOK HERE TONIGHT!" the screams were deafening at just the mention of his name. "Well, alright now ladies, easy, we also have the massive, the intimidating, GOLIATH HERE TONIGHT!" This must be whom Hook would be fighting; a good portion of the crowd had come to see him as well. "With out further ado…" continued the announcer "… HOOK!"

The crowd goes crazy, and the excitement is contagious, Emma can't help but get up on her tiptoes to try and see the hooded figure that started it's way to the ring. The women held up their signs and shouted out to him

"Hook! I love you, Hook!"

"Fuck me, Hook!"

"Hook, you're fucking sexy!"

"Kick Goliath's ass, Hook!"

The hooded figure made it to the ring and trots to the center of the ring next to the announcer. He doesn't seem to respond to the woman's chants of desire or the fact that one of them has thrown their underwear into the ring right in front of him.

Ruby had both of her hands gripped tightly on Emma's arm which caused Emma to tear her eyes away from the ring to look at her. Ruby's eyes are focused on the hooded figure in the ring. "Em, are you looking?"

"I'm looking at you killing the circulation in my arm, girl!" Emma retorted. Ruby turned and looked at her and took her hands off of her arm and then grabbed Emma's face and forcefully turned her to look at the ring.

The hooded figure had, at some point, shed it's hood and robe and what stood in the ring now, was the epitome of sex. Emma felt a shiver go down her spine. Dark disheveled hair, scruffy jaw, a coy smile, and dear god, that body. Emma drank in the whole image with greedy eyes.

'YOU'RE SO FUCKING HOT, HOOK!" This scream came from Ruby. Emma turned to her laughing and then looked back at the ring, right into the deep blue eyes of Hook.

_Oh shit._

Emma punched Ruby in the arm "He totally thinks _I_ said that!"

"Oh my god! Emma he's looking at you and fucking smiling!" Ruby was practically giggling.

Hook was indeed smiling at her, with a coy-boyish smile like he knew all of her dirty secrets. Emma couldn't help the warm arousal that settled deep between her legs at that smile.

"Next out is, huge, the massive, GOLIATH!" The announcer bellowed and gestured for the next opponent to enter. As everyone turned to watch the opponent come in, Emma flipped her hair and turned her eyes back up to Hook. He was still looking at her, he smirked and winked, _actually fucking winked_, at her and then turned to watch his opponent come in.

Emma could feel her sex clench and knew, just knew, that that man knew exactly the effect he had on woman.

"Oh my god, Emma, do you see the size of that guy?"

Emma looked up to see the man that they called Goliath enter the ring. Not only was the guy probably bigger than 6'7, he had to weigh close to 400lbs of muscle. Goliath was right. Emma was suddenly very, very worried for Hook.

"KICK HIS ASS, HOOK!" A blonde girl with large boobs screamed as she held up her sign that read 'I WILL RIDE YOU ALL NGIHT, HOOK!"

If Hook had heard her, he made no indication. He started hopping up and down and shaking out his arms. Goliath roared and slammed his fists together to the cheers of his fans.

"Turn that little shit to pudding, Mountain!" some guy yelled from some other side of the ring. Emma wanted to shoot him daggers with her eyes. Why was she suddenly so protective of the cocky boxer in the ring?

The announcer asked if the men were ready, and both nodded their heads that they were. So he waved his hand in between them and yelled, "BEGIN!" and ducked out of the ring.

Goliath charged forward and swung his huge fists right at Hook's head, who ducked at the last minute and danced around the huge man. Goliath turned and swung again, and again Hook expertly dodged and danced out of the way. Emma could see that there was a smirk on Hook's face. He was toying with the mammoth man.

Goliath continued his attempts to land, what can only be assumed as a fatal hit, but Hook continued to dodge him. Frustrated Goliath roared and charged Hook, swung again, Hook ducked, and swung his right fist up and into the jaw of Goliath, who swayed, and then fell flat on his back.

The crowd erupted in cheers.

"HOOK, HOOK, HOOK!"

The medics checked Goliath, deemed him unable to continue the fight. The crowd roared and cheered for Hook.

The announcer got back into the middle of the ring and grabbed hooks wrist and thrusted his fist into the air.

"There you have it, folks! Our winner in our first match is the obvious crowd favorite, HOOK!"

Hook beamed and looked down at the crowd and found, once again, Emma's eyes. He locked onto her and smiled.

She felt the shiver again, and her mind was already imagining all of the things that man could do to her. Feeling suddenly very flushed, Emma decided she needed some fresh air. She was not about to become one of those screaming girls in that arena begging for Hook's attention. She turned away from the beautiful man in the ring and headed towards the exit.

Ruby called after her, but she kept walking. She also heard squeals and other commotion behind her, but she didn't care. If she was going to have to sit through another match of Hook dancing around the ring with his sweat glisten muscles, she needed some air.

Once she reached the door she felt a hand grab her arm and spin her around. She was now face-to-face with Hook. His chest rising and falling and sweat beaded on his skin.

"Wha-huh?" was all Emma managed to say, her eyes lost in the blue intensity that was staring back at her.

"What's your name?" he growled his other hand coming up to door behind her while his other one was still holding her forearm.

"What?" She mumbled again, still in shock at what was happening. He had gotten off of the ring and chased after her. Now he probably thought she had mental issues and all she could say was 'what'.

"Your name, lass, what is it?" he asked again, bringing his face in closer to hers.

She could smell him, and he smelled of sweat and something else that she couldn't put her finger on. How could she be this attracted to a smell? Her whole body wanted to move into him, grab that mess of black hair and...

"It's Emma, Emma Swan!" Ruby chirped up from behind him causing Emma to jump. She suddenly realized everyone in the whole arena was looking at her and Hook. Some people had their phones out recording their interaction.

"Emma Swan" The fighter said her name in such a way that Emma became incredibly turned on. He could even make her name sound erotic. She involuntarily swayed towards him.

"Yeah, yes" Emma stuttered.

"Find me after the last match is over" He said and let go of her arm and smiled at her, Emma could feel the wetness pooling between her legs. Hook then turned away from her and headed back through the crowd of fans and towards the ring.

She could feel how red her face was. Damn this man, no man should have this kind of an effect on her when she didn't even know is real name.

"Walsh, give this, Emma Swan, a pass to get backstage" Hook said to a guy with brown hair, that was trying to usher him back into the ring.

Emma could feel the jealous looks from the other woman in the arena, and could also feel the complete embarrassment bubbling up from inside. She decided to continue her original plan and exited out of the building.

She slumped against the wall outside and placed her hands on her face. What in the hell was she doing? She knew that that kind of man only wanted her to come backstage so he could have his way with her. He probably does this to a fan of his choosing every night. She felt like such an idiot, and decided then and there that she was not going to sleep with him. In fact, she was going to go backstage and say it to his face that she was not one of the floozies in the arena, and that she hadn't even heard of him until a week ago. She was stubborn, but somewhere deep inside her, she wanted him, she knew this, but she would just use his face in her fantasies later.

"Emma! OH MY FUCKING GOD!" It was Ruby, she had emerged outside to find Emma

"What even was that?" Emma asked looking up at her friend.

"I don't know, he left the fucking ring to chase after you! I can't believe it, I have never seen him do something like that before!"

Emma groaned and then laughed at Ruby's face, she was bug-eyed and giddy.

"Emma, you have to go back stage, do it for all of us mere mortals that could only dream of sleeping with him"

"I'm not going to sleep with him Ruby, I don't even know him, and he probably sleeps with half the woman that come to see him"

"What? Why wouldn't you want to fuck that six ways from Sunday?! He is so damned sexy!"

"Because, Ruby, I don't sleep with random underground fighters, you know me, you know I'm not like that." Emma sighed

"Ok, ok, but you still plan to go backstage, right? I'm just so curious!" Ruby asked she grabbed Emma's hands to bring her back inside the arena.

"Yeah, I think I will, just to see what this guy wants"

* * *

The next contenders that Hook faced were talented fighters, from what Emma could tell, but each one fell to Hook's right-hook. Which Emma learned is how he got his nickname.

Before each fight and after each victory, Hook would make eye contact with Emma the knowing smirk on that handsome face. Each time he did that, Emma couldn't help but stop breathing. There was something about that man that just made her act not at all like the usual Emma Swan.

After the last match, Emma watched as the fans left, a lot of them shooting her dirty looks as they toted their home-made signs off with them. She felt a little pride at making so many women hate her immediately.

Ruby looped her arm with Emma's as they walked over to the guy that Hook had called Walsh. Walsh was probably close to 5'9, very skinny, had a mop of shaggy brown hair. He seemed to nervous about talking to the two women and kept shifting between his two feet. He handed Emma a backstage pass that hung on a lanyard, and started to walk away, stopped, thought for a moment and turned back and gave Ruby one too.

"Oh wow, me too?" Ruby exclaimed clutch the man's hands while grabbing the stage pass. Walsh's eyes went straight to Ruby's breast that were pushed up in her low V-neck t-shirt.

Emma cleared her throat and Walsh's eyes darted up to meet hers, looked down to Emma's breasts, which were covered in her plain white t-shirt under her favorite red leather jacket. The nervous man then adverted his eyes to the ground and walked quickly away.

"He's an odd one" Emma noted.

"Yeah" Ruby agreed, "But he did give me a pass, so I don't have to leave your side" Ruby said, bringing Emma in for a side hug, laughing.

"I think your boobs won you that" Emma responded returning the hug.

* * *

A large burly man with a long black beard and equally long black hair checked the back stage passes and eyed each of the girls as if to see if they weren't crazy fans that were going to cause a mess for him to deal with. Decided they were ok, he handed them back to them and let them through the door that lead to the training offices and the locker rooms.

Emma and Ruby found the door with Hook's name on it and Ruby eagerly knocked on the door. A tall man answered the door, and looked at each of the women, his eyes lingering on Ruby.

"Whale, is that Emma Swan?" Hook called out from behind the man he called Whale, he appeared to the right and smiled like he had been waiting forever to see Emma. This made her heart skip a beat and something close to butterflies flutter in her stomach. She couldn't help return the smile while rolling her eyes.

"There are two beautiful women here, I believe this is Emma Swan" Whale said gesturing to Emma, who nodded, "But who is this?" Whale asked, extending his hand to Ruby.

"I'm Ruby" she responded taking his hand and smiling up at him with her head titled to the side.

"Victor Whale" Whale responded still only focused on Ruby

Hook cleared his throat and Whale snapped out of it and turned to let the women in. Hook was still dressed in his robe, which was open showing his chest and shorts that he was wearing in his matches. He kept his eyes on Emma, watching her watch him.

"So, what's with the backstage passes?" Emma asked, tearing her eyes away from him to look around the room as if anything else in the room was as interesting as him.

"You don't remember me, do you?" Hook asked her, tilting his head to the side and a amused smile tugging at his lips.

"Remember you?" Emma turned to look at the bare-knuckle boxer in front of her. Here, being so close to him and seeing those piercing blue eyes, a faded memory started to resurface in the back of her mind, she just couldn't grasp at it.

"I'm Killian, Killian Jones," he offered.

Recognition hit Emma and her mouth fell open in shock. A young face with acne, braces, but the same bright eyes popped up in her brain. The young face that belonged to a boy that was lanky and skinny.

"Oh. My. God. Killian?!" Emma practically yelled, moving a hand to cover her mouth that was still agape, driving a deep laugh from Killian.

"Aye! You do remember me!" he said, still laughing at Emma's shocked face.

"You guys know each other?" Ruby asked, her eyes passing between the two of them in amazement. "How?"

"We went to middle school together, oh man, that was forever ago, how did you expect me to remember you. I mean, look at you! You're…you're…" Emma trailed off

"Devilishly handsome?" Killian finished for her

"I was going to say tall and acne free" Emma said, crossing her arms and giving him a pointed look

"Well, you, Emma Swan, have certainly…" his eyes looked her up and down and his tongue licked his bottom lip "…grown up"

Emma's breath caught in her throat. The look he was giving her was obscene and was making her stomach tighten and warmth grow deep down between her thighs.

"Yikes, you could cut the sexual tension in here with a knife!" Ruby snorted, successfully breaking both Killian and Emma out of their stupor. Emma felt her cheeks flush and glared at Ruby.

Whale laughed and smiled at her. Emma could tell he was already smitten with Ruby, she had that way with guys.

"So, Killian and I are going to a bar slash club down the street to celebrate his victory and advancement on to the semi-finals. Would you ladies like to join us?" Whale asked, looking between Ruby and Emma.

"No" Emma said at the same time Ruby said "Yeah!"

Ruby turned to Emma with a frown and Emma reminded her that she had work tomorrow.

"So what, the Emma I know can stay up until 3am and still get up in time to go to work. Come on girl, lets go out!" She said with a pleaded look. She moved her eyes in the direction of Whale and raised her eyebrows and Emma knew that she wanted to spend more time getting to know the man.

"Fine, but only for a little" Emma conceded. She took a tentative look at Killian who wore a large smile. He clapped his hands together "Excellent! Let me get cleaned up and changed and I will meet you all out at the car. Doc, will you show them the way?" Killian asked looking at Whale.

"It will be my pleasure" Whale responded, opening up the door to the room and holding it for the women "after you he said smiling at them as they walked through.

"You're a doctor?" Ruby asked as the group walked out of the building into the warm night. Emma pulled out her phone and started to check some emails to give the two of them some space.

"Yes I am Killian's medic, trainer, manager, pretty much anything he needs me to be" he said with a laugh. What about you, Ruby, what do you do for a living?"

"Oh, I work at a restaurant right now with my Grandma, have you heard of Granny's?" Victor shook his head "Well, she owns it and one day when the stubborn woman decides to retire, it will be mine."

Ruby and Victor continued their conversation and leaned up against a sleek black Cadillac. Emma watched Ruby pulling out all of the stops by tilting her head to the side, laughing at something he said and placing her hand on the Doctor's arm. Emma smiled to herself. Her best friend was a romantic and always fell hard and quickly for men and even when she got hurt, she always claimed it was worth it to open her self up to someone. Emma, on the other hand, liked to keep safe behind her walls and make sure she never got hurt again.

Killian came walking out a few moments after Emma had finished checking on the updates of the con she was going to go after tomorrow. He was dressed in jeans and a tight black shirt. His hair was still wet after his shower and was disheveled in a way that made him look like he belonged on a cover of a magazine. Emma couldn't help licking her lips while looking at him. Could this really be the awkward guy that she knew so many years ago?

"All ready to go?" Killian asked as he approached the three of them. Whale opened up the back car door for Ruby and she climbed in with out a second thought. Whale followed her in and Killian stood by the car looking at Emma and gesturing for her to go into the car.

"Actually, would it be ok if I followed you there? I would like to have my car" Emma said looking towards the parking lot where her yellow bug was parked. She always felt better if she had a way to be able to escape if things went down hill.

Killian ducked his head into the open passenger window of the car and said something that she couldn't hear to the driver. He then nodded at Whale and closed the back door of the Cadillac, turned and walked towards Emma.

"What are you doing?" Emma asked as he approached her with a smile tugging on his lips. She couldn't help but return his smirk. He stopped once he was already greatly in her personal space, so close she could smell the soap he used in the shower and could feel his breath brush against her face.

"We are driving there together, love, don't want you to get lost after I've just found you." He said with a wink and again Emma realized she was holding her breath.

"Fine, my car is this way" Emma said and started walking towards the parking lot, Killian in tow.

* * *

The car ride was full of heated glances and undeniable attraction. Emma had never had such an immediate attraction to someone before. She didn't really know how to handle it and parts of her wanted to run far and to run fast away from this man. But more of her wanted to be near him and wanted to see his smile reach his eyes and to hear his deep laugh and to, well, to see where the rest of this night went.

They pulled up to a club and Emma parked next to the Cadillac that contained her best friend. Whale stepped out laughing hard and helped out an equally giggly Ruby. Ruby's cheeks were flushed and she was smiling ear to ear. Emma loved seeing her best friend like this, but she was going to have to do a background check on this Victor Whale to make sure he was worthy of her best friend's affections.

Ruby walked over and linked her arm with Emma and leaned into her and whispered "Emma, I think I could really like this guy"

Emma moved her other hand to the arm of her best friend and gave her a squeeze. "Ruby, you've just met the man, how can you know in just an hour?"

Ruby just shook her head and looked over at Whale and Killian who where waiting for the girls to join them at the door of the club.

The music in the club was deafening, the DJ was in his element and the place was packed wall to wall with people dancing, drinking and yelling at each other over the music.

This was not Emma's scene, not her scene at all, but Ruby felt right at home and immediately started moving to the beat and grabbed Emma and dragged her to the bar all the while still moving to the music. Emma felt uncomfortable and knew if she was going to get through this evening, she was going to need alcohol. Lots and lots of alcohol.

The bar was packed and even Ruby's boobs were not getting them any closer to getting a drink. Emma felt a hand press to her lower back and she wheeled around to be face to face with Killian. He didn't move back and she froze, their bodies only inches apart. He dipped his head down and pressed his lips right next to her ear, his hands moved to her hips, "What are you drinking, love?"

Emma couldn't think with him being this close, she could almost feel his lips on her ear and a shudder went through her body. Killian lifted his head just enough so he could see into her eyes and cocked his eyebrow at her questioningly.

Emma stood up on her tiptoes, placed her hand on his arm and Killian leaned his head down to her so she could reach his ear. She mimicked what he did and placed her lips close to his ear "I'll have a rum and coke, Ruby likes cranberry vodkas" she let her lips graze his ear and could visibly see Killian stiffen.

She settled back on the balls of her feet and he gave her a crooked smile and stepped away and into the crowd. Ruby, still holding Emma's right hand, whispered in her ear "That was something, Jesus Emma, do you see the effect you have on that man?" Emma shook her head and turned to her best friend who was smiling at her. Ruby nodded her head for Emma to follow her and Ruby moved her to the dance floor. Emma's protests fell on to deaf ears as Ruby started to dance with her. Emma laughed as Ruby grinded on her and winked. Emma moved with Ruby and the two of them danced to the beat, laughing. Before they knew it, Victor and Killian had joined them. Victor handed Ruby her cranberry vodka and Killian handed Emma her drink. "You will have to show me those moves, love" Killian whispered as he pressed his body into her back, his mouth grazing her ear. Emma moved her head to the side, exposing her neck involuntarily. But instead Killian stepped back and grabbed her hand and they walked off the dance floor with Ruby and Victor.

Apparently being a famous bare-knuckle boxer had its benefits and Killian had a table in the club. They sat down at the table to enjoy their drinks. Ruby and Victor leaned into each other to have a conversation and Killian was leaned back looking at Emma. Emma fidgeted, stirred her drink, looked out at the dancers, back to her drink, and took a long, deep, gulp. She felt the warmth of the alcohol fill her and before she knew it, her glass was empty. Killian chuckled and leaned in to Emma "Nervous, love?"

Emma moved her eyes up to meet his and the urge to press her lips on his was overwhelming. She rolled her eyes, and regained composure. Who was she right now? Why did this man make her act like a fuck-struck teenager?

Killian raised his eyebrow, tilted his head and moved closer to her. He licked his lips spoke over the loud music. "So, tell me Emma Swan, what is it that you do now? Besides, coming to my fights to check me out?" He put on a cocky smile and moved his hand to tug on some of Emma's hair.

Emma leaned back away from him, the hair falling from his hand, and she reached for her still empty drink. "I'm a bail bonds person, I run down cons who jump bail" she said her eyes locked on him "And Ruby made me come to your fight tonight, I had never even hear of 'Hook' before a week ago". Killian looked at her in a way that should be illegal.

"Bail bonds person? So you're crime fighter, there, Swan?" He asked motioning for a waitress to fill up Emma's drink. The waitress leaned over the table, purposefully showing off her breasts that were greatly pushed up in her work shirt. Emma looked at her incredulously and Killian paid no notice to her at all. The waitress, obviously offended by his lack of interest, shot Emma a dirty look and disappeared to the bar area.

"Oh, she is totally going to spit in your drink!" Ruby laughed with Victor. Killian looked at them with a questioning look. Emma leaned into him "She was trying to get your attention by pushing her boobs in your face, you really didn't notice?"

"Well, when you look as good as me, lass, you get used to the attention" he put back on a cocky smile and Emma rolled her eyes he at him but couldn't help the smile. He was completely different than the boy she used to know.

Victor ordered a round of shots and the waitress returned with the shots and Emma's drink. She looked at Killian who thanked her for the shots. Understanding that she was dismissed, the waitress again, sulked off, rejected.

The group took their shots and finished their drinks. Ruby convinced everyone to go to the dance floor again and, feeling buzzed, Emma agreed.

Killian stood and offered his hand to Emma, which Emma accepted with out a second thought. He rubbed his thumb over her knuckles and his eye took on an emotion that Emma couldn't quite read. Ruby grabbed Emma's other hand and the four of them headed to the floor. Once there, Ruby grabbed Victor and drug him into the middle of the dance floor. Following Ruby's boldness, Emma grabbed Killian.

She pressed her front against his and he put his hands on her hips and they moved to the fast paced beat, Emma moved her hands around to the back of his neck and ran her fingers into his hair. Their hips press together, moving. Killian ducked his head into Emma's neck.

Emma moved away and turned her back to him, Killian moved his body into her and she pressed her spine into his chest. Emma reached up and grabs his head and pins it to her neck, she can feel his breath on her pressure point. His hands dug into her hips, holding her there, against him.

The heated air around them felt electrified. She can feel everything, the scruff of his jaw on her neck, his muscled chest pressed against her back, and his hips moving in beat with her's. Emma arched her back, pushed even, impossibly, further into him. Killian let out a groan against her neck and his tongue darted out to lick her there. Emma sucked in a breath and dug her fingers harder into the back of his head, her other hand on top of his on her hip.

The music throbbed around them and Emma grinded harder against him and felt him getting harder. And just how large of a bulge he has is front and center in her mind.

"Emma" Killian groans against her neck and Emma leans her head back against him. He turned his head and moved his mouth close to hers, asking, willing her to close the distance. Emma started to, wanted to, but then felt a sudden panic spark up in her stomach.

_No. You don't do this. You don't even know him anymore. _

The flame that was raging inside her was snuffed out and Emma stopped moving. Killian looked at her questioningly, his hands still on her hips.

Emma stepped away from him, his hands falling off of her, and she started to walk off of the dance floor. "Emma?" Killian called after her.

His hand wrapped around her upper arm and pulled her to a stop. She turned to him and he mouthed 'what'?

Emma shook her head and turned and started heading towards the exit. Killian, for the second time that night stopped her from walking out the door. He asked over the loud music "What is it? I thought we were having fun, what did I do?"

"I don't do this" Emma gestured between the two of them; "I don't even know you".

Hurt flashed across Killian's face. "Well, lets get to know each other, then" he offered, and handed her a card that he fished from his pocket. His number.

Ruby and Victor showed up behind Killian. Ruby looked between them and then moved to Emma. "You ok?" She asked. Emma nodded but gestured that she wanted to go. Ruby nodded and turned to the men behind her. Victor stepped towards her and she told him that they were going to go. Killian was still looking at Emma a mixture of hurt and confusion on his face. '_Probably not used to getting turned down by girls',_ Emma thought to herself. She thought for a beat, then reached into her pocket and pulled out her phone and with Killian's card, added his number and sent him a text.

**Emma Swan, now you have my number too.**

She placed both back into her pocket, and looked up at him. She felt a longing, and she didn't fully want to leave, but she also felt like everything was going too fast. This womanizing, bare-knuckle boxing, blue-eye having, gorgeous man had a control over her and she wanted to think on what that meant. She had just met him again after such a long time; they were practically strangers.

The four of them stepped outside and Emma called a cab. She didn't feel drunk, she actually never felt more sober, but she was not an idiot and wasn't going to risk it.

"My driver can take you both home, you don't have to pay for a cab" Killian offered, scratching behind his ear.

"It's fine" Emma said, looking at him. He still looked hurt, she didn't understand it, he could turn around and go back in there and have any girl he wanted. Especially the waitress, why did he care so much that she turned him down?

The cab rolled up minutes later and Emma walked towards it. Killian appeared behind her in time to open the door for her. She paused before getting in and turned to him.

"Killian, I-" she didn't know what to say.

"I get it" he said and gave her a half smile. She searched his eyes and couldn't find any hint that he was lying; he did, honestly, get it.

With that she got into the car with Ruby shortly behind her. "See you tomorrow night, Victor!" She called and waved to him. She climbed in and Killian shut the door and then knocked on the passenger window. The taxi driver rolled it down and Killian leaned down to talk to him

"Get these two women home safe, if you don't, just know I beat up people for a living." He said with smirk and then stepped back to let the driver pull off and out of the parking lot.

Emma watched him grow smaller as the cab left him behind. His head was hung low and he placed his hands in his pockets. She felt a pang of guilt for rejecting him, but she had her rules, and things were definitely, definitely, moving too fast.

"What's tomorrow?" Emma asked Ruby, trying to chase the thoughts in her head away with a subject that didn't involve her.

"Victor is taking me to dinner" She responded looking at Emma, "I'm so excited, he's such a great guy, Em, really is, I can already tell" She stopped, and looked at Emma, reading her only the way a best friend could, "Girl, you have got to work on those issues of yours, we were having fun tonight! Killian is so into you"

"I know, I know" Emma sighed and leaned her head against the window

"Oh, by the way, Victor also gave me two tickets to Killian's next match next week" Ruby nudged Emma with her elbow "I know you want to go"

And she was right. Emma did want to go. She couldn't help looing forward to the next time she would get to see him. Her phone buzzed at that moment and she looked down to see it was from Killian. Ruby saw it too and wiggled her eyebrows at her. Emma rolled here eyes and tapped on the screen and opened the message.

**(Killian): It was nice to see you again, Swan. Let's do it again, very soon.**

Emma could feel her face blush and a rush of warmth flooded through her. Killian Jones is the only person her whole life that would call her by her last name. Memories came flooding back about the two of them in middle school; they were close then, a team, if there was still any shred of the old Killian left in him, it showed when he called her 'Swan'.

**(Emma): See you at your next fight, Jones. **


End file.
